Trials of a Champion - Kanto [Pokemon x OC]

64 All I Want For Christmas Is...

First thing in the morning, Paul stirred to a chilly breeze biting his face. Rather than trying to fall back asleep, he groaned and just decided to get up. It was the right time to fetch some water, anyways. When he opened his eyes, however, the first sight of the day made his heart jump out of his chest.

Paul found me sound asleep less than a foot away from him.

Lips partly open. Eyelashes gentle against my skin. My chest rising and falling with every breath. The cold tinted my cheeks and nose red. My messy hair against the cold, stone floor resembled a spider with many, many legs.

I looked peaceful. Comfortable too. My arms and legs became entangled with Paul's limbs sometime during the night, but clearly, it didn't bother me enough to wake me up. One hand gripped a fistful of his shirt as though my life depended on it.

The combination of my sleeping figure so close plus the overwhelming, flowery fragrance caused Paul's internal temperature to shoot through the roof. He nearly passed out, and then he hurriedly checked to see if anyone was watching us.

Everyone was still fast asleep.

No longer feeling embarrassed to death, though he still felt plenty embarrassed, Paul took a deep breath and calmed down. He set his head back on the bundled jacket. At the risk of his health, he watched me sleep.

My eyes and nose looked puffy and red from crying.

"Hopefully that goes away."

Again at the risk of his health, he reached out to touch my face.

I shuddered at the contact, but only because his fingers felt cold.

He recoiled, anyways. "What the hell am I doing?" Paul began untangling himself, wondering why he didn't earlier. "I can't be lying here, staring at her like a creep." He moved his legs away. His arm uncoiled from around mine.

Paul gently pried my fingers from his shirt. He paused for a moment to absorb the feeling of his hand around mine. Her hands are tiny. The notion caused him to smile. Then, as though he had an etch-a-sketch for a mind, he shook his head to erase the insane thought.

The boy hopped onto his feet, at which point he realized that someone had, in fact, been watching him.

"How long have you been awake?"

Torterra grunted.

"So what?! What kind of person would not comfort her after last night?"

The Continent Pokémon grunted again.

"No!! It's not because of that!!"

"Ahaha~" I registered the conversation in my sleep, giggled out loud, and rolled over.

Startled, Paul stumbled and fell into Torterra, thinking he'd woken me up. He didn't.

"She sleeps like a child."

Once more, Paul gazed at me with a frown.

"All that stuff last night was a lot for anyone, so I can't imagine she's going to feel too well once she wakes up. She'll be down in the dumps if I don't do anything. We have to find a way to lift her spirits." Paul's gaze drifted over to the trees outside the cave. He pondered going somewhere to get our next badge and to have some fun.

It was at that moment he noticed the frost on the trees.

"Oh yeah. It's that time of year again."

A smirk crossed his lips as he looked back at Torterra.

"I think I have an idea."

★

The sunlight poked holes through the frosty canopy. It felt warm on my face, but I didn't appreciate the brightness, not one bit. Or the bitter winter air nipping at my exposed face, arms, and legs. On either side, Torterra and Venusaur had thin layers of frost on their backs.